The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1887-04-16

had you not, Hardin"
Hardin assented
''The Fates lead the willing and drag the
unwilling" quoted Grantley. "Who was
there to warn Giles or Darrow?n
"For the matter of that" flippantly re-
piled Cosby, ''who can warn against the
| doom that may be lurking in ambush for
the first of US fellows that leave the Mace
nasn
Rendered restless by the turn the CONVEX
sation had taken, Darby had moved away
from the group and was leaving the ROOM
He heard the idle words Cosby had spoken
He went on as though he had not heard
The baize doors swung shut after him.
"After all, it may not be pitiless doom
to which one goes, you see, Cosby" laughed
Hardin. What happier destiny could poor
devil of a M2cenas bachelor find awaiting
him than the wifely embraces of woman
like Carolyn Lomaxm
There's many slip" quoted Cosby
Fortune has trick of smiling on Darby,
know; but she's tickle beldame at best,
and may play him false when he least ex-
poets it.n
I'D take Phips chances for the prize he's
to draw from her tonight, at all events, -
said Hardin. "The floral bell is swinging
already in the hall of the Lomax house
ready for his wedding chimes. Ha! speak
ing of the decorations, that reminds me-
Sartini the florist, told me he had Just re-
| ceived an importation of Italian plants, and
promised Darby I'd call by and tell him to
send up one of those superb moon-flowers
for Miss Lomax. Sartini is certain he has
one that Will put out its blossoms Just about
the time of the marriage. Darby thinks
| that would be pleasant omen for his
| bride"
He returned his paper to the file and at
once took his leave to attend to the commits
! sion.
A few hours later brilliant company
was assembled in the parlor of Hon. Paul
Lomax They had gathered there for the
| celebration of the marriage of his daughter
and heiress to Philander Darby What fate
was there now which might balk the most
sacred plans of the bridegroom's life3 Still
fortunes favorite, he had already received
at the altar, consecrated by the high priest
Love, her most gracious boon in the con-
| jugal vows of the woman he adored, and
among her bridal guests, his young wife
was moving, the statcliest and loveliest Of
them all.
| In pause in the dance her eyes frankly
met his devouring gaze. He was at her side
in moment
"Come with me awhile, can you not, Caro-
| lyn?' he eagerly whispered. at is mad
moclIery to me, this phantasmagoria of
lights, flowers, and nodding and bobbing
puppets, forever interposing between you
and me. Surely we may be entitled to a
quarter of an hours emancipation from the
shaClSes OF less convenanCes."
She smiled and, humoring his fancy, put
her hand within his arm.
''Where will you take me? There are
lights and people everywhere"
He looked down upon her smiling
''The moons rays only have right to be
where our moon-fower is opening it's bios
SONS. Dunbrek had had less an artists eye
had he failed to see the peculiar fitness of
that alcove for the sly charms of that lunar
plant"
She moved at his side, roseate and palpi-
tant. SO this explained the diplomacy sc
had used in inducing the old gardener to
move some of his choicest plants from the
retired alcOve to give place to the heavily
foliaged plant sent up from Sartini's. He
had meant that only the mOonbeams should
be there before herself and him to see the
faint pink blossoms open their hearts of
perfume. Much of the conservatory was in
a blaze Of light, as the balance of the house
was; but, by detour, Darby succeeding in
introducing himself and bride into the al
cove unseen. In this transverse section,
where the fern mounds ended, they found,
as anticipated, their seclusion invaded only
by the half-light from the outer conserva-
tory and the splendor of the moonlight that
was flooding the new plant. They bent to-
gether oyer their floral treasure. The bride
uttered little cry Of delight.
''See, Phil, it has five or six blossoms on
it already and there are other buds opening
Did you eyer see any thing lovelier?"
Eyes" he answered with gravity, Eyes,
my Carolyn, | have seen something love
her"
She bowed herveiled head lower over the
pretty flowers. A strong arm was passed
about the slender figure.
so, my belOvedw was whispered in her
ear, these blossoms are but insensate
things at best; don't waste your caresses
upon them. l am consumed of envy Of my
own gift to you.''
She was yielding to his touch, expanding
into new beauty as the plant was doing in
the embrace of the moons rays.
Out from the shadows of a fern mound,
to one side of the absorbed lovers, face,
livid, sharpened, contorted, glanced for a
SCtOllus IC VI luS we'll eau SIu III ULc
calyx of one of the half-opened buds, The
moonp plant shivered through all it's foliage
One of its stems snapped sharply, and
Carolyn drew back with one of the buds
entangled in the mesh of her veil.
'Ah, the pity Of tn she cried, taking the
| despoiled bud into her jeweled fingers and
gazing upon il regretfully.
SO intent was she looking at the broken
flower, and so intent was he gazing at her
in her wistful beauty that neither of them
saw what the pair of staring eyes, shad-
owed by the fern fronds, caught glimpse
of-the hideous, many-legged beast that
had darted forth from the foliage CT the
! shaken plant. Alert upon one of the broad
leaves it stood until the quivering foliage
settled into stiffness then it crouched wait
ing.
"Ah! Phil" murmured the bride, her
eyes dewy and her voice tremulous, ''what
if we should find our welded happiness to
be no more than this moon flower; lovely to
look upon, but to be broken by the first rough
usage See! | can not make even this
small bud attach itself again where it may
gather life and beauty anew
She bent forward making a pretty pre-
tense Of reuniting the plant and its severed
blossom; but instantly she started back,
making vain effort to suppress the excla.
nation of main or terror. that Sharnlv broIy a